Article of furniture



w. L. SHEPHERDSON.

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-25. 92

Patented June 13, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

W. L. SHEPHERDSON.

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

INVENTOR. W. L. SHEPHERDSQN A TTOFTNE Y8.

W. L. SHEPHERDSON.

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE- APPLICATION 'FILED APR- 25. 1921.

1 A 1 9,6%? Patented June 13, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.ZPv v/v TOR.- 14/ L. SHEPHERDSQN.

A T TOR/v5 Y6? UNITED STATES .PATE-NTOFFICE. I

WILLIAM L. SHEPHERDSON, or mn'EAPoLIs, mmnnsocm.

I ARTICLE OF FURNITURE.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. SHEPHERD- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in An ticles of Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to articles of furniture. An object'is to provide a construct1on whereby articles of furniture of either standard, juvenile or toy size may be inexpensively constructed of few parts only, which may be. packed flat and quickly assembled and securely held together without the use of glue, nails, screws or other similar fastening devices. The principle of my invention may be employed without material change in regard to the locking feature in various forms of furniture having vertical and horizontal parts, such as chairs, settees, lounges, .bedsteads, bureaus, tables, cabinets, swings, and the like. My invention in toy size may also be employed in other articles of furniture such as toy pianos, stoves, etc, and, therefore, the invention is not limited to any particular form or style of furniture. This application is a continuation of my prior application Serial Number 362,188 filed March 1st, 1920.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description, and the novel features embodied in my inventive idea will be particularly pointed out'in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate some of the articles in which my invention may be embodied, Fig.1 is a view in perspective of my invention-embodied in a chair. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the two similar side members. Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the back member. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the seat member. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section through the back and side members. Fig. 6 is an elevational view with. a small portion in section of the back member of a chair of slightly different construction. Fig. ,7 is a view in side elevation of one of the side members used in this form of chair. Fig. 8 is a planview of the seat member. Fig. 9 is a view in vertical section through the back and side members of this form on the line 9-9 of Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a view in horizontal section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a view in perspective ofabedstead constructed in accordance with' my invention. Fig. 12 1s a view in perspective of a bureau construct'ed inaccordance with my invention.

My article of furniture will first be described in connection withFigs. 1 to 5 and as shown in this form it includes a back member 14, a seat member 16 and two similar side members 18 and 20. The side members are formed with seat-supporting portions 22, back-supporting portions 24, and legs 26 while arms 28 may also be provided if desired. Above the seat supporting Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 13, 1922. Application filed April 25, .1921. Serial No. 464,240. l

portions 22 and at the frontthere are rearwardly facing shoulders 30. The back-supporting portions 24 are provided at the up per ends with upwardly facing notches 32 and with intermediate mortices or recesses 34. The seat member is provided with a pair of front notches 36 and a pair of rear notches 38. The back member is provided at its upper end with a pair of downwardly openlngnotches 40 which form shoulders 42 and with laterally extending tenons 44 and the lower portion is preferably cut away underneath to form side extensions 46. In assembling the chair, the back member is placed in position between the two side members with the shoulders 42 overhanging the notches 32. and with the tenons 44 fitting into the recesses 34. The seat member is placed between the two side members with its notches 36 underneath the shoulders 30,

the rear portion ofi 'the seat member' being atthis time upwardly inclined. With the parts in this position, thelrear portion of the seat member is depressed with the result that the notches 38 fit, into inclined shoulders 48 on the side members and. the rear edge of the seat-member snaps under the extensions 46 of the back member, these extensions being sufficiently resilient to permit this action. All of the parts of the chair will now. be firmly locked together and the chair can be disassembled only by applying sufficient rearward pressure on: the extensions 46 to release the seat member. It is, of course, apparentthat' ifithe material of the back mem-- ber is sufficiently resilient'it is not'necessary to cut. it away to form the extensions 46.

Figs. 6 to Q0 illustrate a chair constructionin which the same; locking principle is employed. The two side members includes rails or side-supportingzportions 50, back-supporting portions 52 and legs 54, while arms 56 and lower rails 58-may be provided if desired. Above theseat supporting portions 50 are rearwardly facing notches 60 which form shoulders 61. The

back supporting portions 52 of the side members are provided at their upper ends with dowel pins 62 and with intermediate recesses 64, and the seat member 66 is provided with a pair of front notches 68 and a pair of rear notches 70. The back member as shown in this embodiment in Fig. 6 consists of two uprights 72, the upper ends of which are connected by a cross-bar 74, and the lower portions of which are connected by a cross bar 76 located somewhat above the lower ends. The intermediate portions of the bars 74 and 76 may be connected by one or more vertical bars such as indicated at 78. The outwardly extending ends of the cross-bar 74 are provided with downwardly opening recesses 80 and the intermediate portions of the uprights 72 are provided with outwardly extending dowel plns or tenons 82. The lower ends of the uprights may be rabbeted .as shown at 84. As shown in the drawings,

the back-supporting portions incline inwardl as indicated at 8 6. The manner of assem ling the chair is the same as that described inconnection with Figs. 1 to 5. The back member is placed between the two side members with the dowel pins 62 fitting into the recesses 80 and the dowel pins 82 fitting into the recesses 64. The seat member is placed between the two side members with its notches 68 underneath the shoulders 61,

the rear portion of the side member being at this time upwardly inclined. With the parts in this position, the rear portion of the 'seat member is depressed so that the notches 72 fit into the inclined edges 86 on the side members and the rear edge of the seat member snaps underneath the back member and into'the rabbeted portions 84 on the lower ends of the uprights 72. These rabbeted portions may be employed in order to obtain increased strength but it is obvious that they may be omitted if desired as in the form previously described.

In Fig. 11 my invention is shown embodied in a bedstead in which the parts are held together in the manner previously described, the locking construction being similar to that disclosed particularly in regard to Figs. 1 to 5, the principal difference being that a horizontal member 88 is engaged at opposite ends by a head member 90 and a foot member 92, both of which serve to lock the parts together in connection with two side members 94 and 96. The members 90 and 92 engage the side members in the same manner that the back member 14 engages the side members in Fig. 1 and the extensions on the member 90 and 92. engage the horizontal member 88 in the same manner that the seat member 16 is engaged in %n Fig. 12 my invention is shown embodied in a bureau, the locking construction being the same as that shown in Fig. 1 but a front member 98 being provided on which lines are marked to simulate a' number of drawers. This front member is secured to the two side members 100 and 102 by notched projections as indicated at- 104 and by a mortice and tenon as indicated at 106. In assembling this form of the invention, the side members are applied to the front memher, the back member 108 is put into place and then the horizontal member 110 is snapped into place in precisely the same manner in which the seat member 16 is secured in Fig. 1.

The various members of the different articlcs of furniture may be of any suitable material but it will be understood that the lower portion of the locking member such as the back memberof the chair, the head member of the bedstead andv the back memor similar board and then out out by means of a scroll saw. This will afford additional amusement and training for children.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture comprising a pair of oppositely positioned vertical supporting members having horizontal supportin portions disposed below their upper en s, a vertical locking member having interlocking engagement with said pair of supporting members at the upper ends thereof, and at places intermediate said upper ends and said horizontal supportingportions, and a horizontal member adapted to rest upon said horizontal supporting portions and to be held in place by snapping under the lower ends of said locking member.

2. An article of furniture comprising a pair of oppositely positioned vertical supporting members having horizontal supporting portions disposed below their upper ends, a vertical locking member having interlocking engagement with said pair of supporting members at the upper ends thereof and at place intermediate said upper ends and said horizontal supporting porportions and to be held in place by snapping under the lower ends of said locking member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM L. SHEPHERDSON. 

